WINTER ARRIVES!

This year sort of was a very good example of when our summer changes into autumn and then winter.  It seems to me the weather changed around the beginning of April with temperatures dropping to high twenties and lows into the high to mid tens.  With May arriving the temperatures sort of - with the help of wetter weather dropped into the low to mid twenties and the minimum temperatures low teens. 
Out of the farmers perspective it means that the soil temperatures also drop accordingly and the plants will go into rest.  The roots stop its growth burst which usually happens in early autumn but with our sometimes high temperatures in autumn and early winter this growth phase can go on very much longer.  You sometimes see especially peach and apricot trees having a big new growth spur which is an indication of this happening. 
I happen also to notice some of the younger peach trees having some blossoms.  Totally the wrong time and usaully an indication of the weather patterns.  I find that the young peach trees are not always sure when to bloom and not.  The older the get the fall into pattern and go into rest and come out of it at the right time.  Something like children. 
As most of you see we are busy taking out apricot and vineyards.  We are now busy putting in the first of the irrigation extensions. We are busy repacing the flood irrigation system at Herminashof with a micro irrigation.  Also making ready to plant some apricots in the Muscadel and Sultana's place.
Withoek will also be bottling their 2010 Withoek Vintage and 2010 Ficks Ruby Port - sorry EU Cape - next week and if we rush it it might be ready for the upcoming Port Festival.  The system of getting a wine approved is actually a long process and a lot depends on the Department of Agriculture for chemical analysis where they determine your alcohol levels which you may put on the label.  Further it has to go through a tasting panel deciding if the product is what you say it is.  In this case a Vintage and Ruby Port.   
To finish it off you can only print the labels when you know the precise alcohol levels.  So hold your thumbs for the 16th of June for tasting the new Vintage and Ruby ports.

Warm, Cooler, Port

The temperatures are slowly falling and you want to have something to warm you up in the cold evenings.  Have a port.  And while you at it support the local guys.  Withoek released this week its' 2009 Cape Ruby.  Yes we may not use that 'P' word anymore.  It is and will stay in the future just a plain old Cape.  Withoek uses the vintage indication for the Port even though you are not suppose to use it.  For us it is an indication of a certain batch of this style of Cape. 
We are selling it in a 375ml package under the Geyser label and a 750ml under the Withoek one.  It is a more traditional style of Port with typical spices with a good balance between the sugar and alcohol.  A real must for this colder weather. 
In the next three weeks we also going to bottle the Fick's Ruby and a vintage port from the Kairos range.  Both promise to warm the heart and body in this suppose to be colder winter. 
With taking out of orchards and vineyards it is going well.  We still have about three ha to take out and then the finally preparations will start. 
Withoek is also selling the wood from the vineyards so do contact if you are interested in a nice braai with vines.